Porcelain Doll
by readingwriter01
Summary: Mike hears a hauntingly beautiful song. Rachel/Mike, Cherry, Mikel :


Disclaimer: I do not own Megan McCauley's _Porcelain Doll_. Nor do I own Glee. Or Mike Chang. Damn.

Authors Note: This is during Special Education, but Puck and Rachel did not make out but they did hang out at her house. Finn broke up with her because he is a jealous and irrational idiot. Santana is a bitch. Quinn is sort of friends with Rachel. Tina is back with Artie so Mike is free. :)

Mike's POV:

Glee rehearsal had been awkward. Puck kept glancing at Rachel. Finn refused to look at Puck and Rachel. Rachel looked miserable. Santana smug. Quinn torn. Everyone else was waiting for someone to get beat up. Probably Puck. We were relieved when Glee was over and we could go home. I was in my car when I realized I had left my homework in my locker. I sighed and walked back inside the school.

Everyone had already gone home except for Rachel, who liked to stay and practice in the auditorium. After Tina went back to Artie, I liked to sneak in and listen to Rachel sing. Her voice was hauntingly beautiful and sad most of the time, despite her relationship with Finn. On my way back from my locker I heard the piano and was instantly drawn to the auditorium.

_(Piano Intro)  
Why do they leave me all by myself?  
Why do they use me and bring me down?  
Why do they hurt me?  
Why do they leave me?  
Why doesn't anybody stick around?_

She sounded sad. Defeated. It was beautiful but heartbreaking. I watched her from behind a curtain. Tears were glistening in her eyes.

_Why doesn't anyone stay here?  
Why do they leave me?  
Don't they realize I'm a porcelain doll?  
Small, unsure, beautiful  
Breakable._

I frowned. Breakable? Had Finn broken her? They… as in the glee club? But she was never unsure. That was inaccurate.

_If I sit here, waiting to be wanted  
Something good will pass me by  
Many people look through the windows  
But seldom do they ever look in my eyes_

I want her. But she's too good for me. But she sounds so miserable. And lonely. I want to look in her eyes.

_Why doesn't anyone stay here?  
Why do they leave me?  
Don't they realize I'm a porcelain doll?  
Fragile, helpless, unwanted  
Breakable_

I wanted to scream: I want you! Please don't cry Rachel. It hurts me to see you like this.

_They can't tell that I am sweet  
They can't tell I'm like a porcelain doll  
Beautiful and demure  
But they will lie to me_

I know she's sweet. She goes out of her way to help. Is this still about Santana and Finn's lie?

_Why am I not numb to this?  
Why can't I let it all outside my mind?  
Don't let me sit here collecting dust  
But please be careful, please be kind_

I will. I'll protect you.

_Why doesn't anyone stay here?  
Why do they leave me?  
Don't they realize I'm a porcelain doll?  
Lost, alone, unsure  
Kind, demure, small  
Fragile, helpless  
Breakable  
Breakable _

By now, she's seen me and is singing to me. I move to sit next to her on the bench. As she hits the last notes on the piano, I take her hands in mine. She looks at me, vulnerability shining in her eyes. I'm all she has right now. I lean my forehead on hers. She lets the tears come and I simply hold her close.

Minutes pass but Rachel is still sobbing brokenly into my chest. I can't stand to see her like this. When she stops crying, she thanks me and makes to leave the auditorium. I frown and hold her wrists. Does she think I'm going to let her go home like this?

"What's wrong Michael?" she asks.

"Where are you going?" I respond. She's not really just gonna act like this didn't happen is she?

"Home," she mumbles, "My dads are on a business trip again. So I have to make myself dinner."

I frown, "Why don't you come eat dinner at my house?"

Her eyes widen dramatically, "Really?" she whispers, almost unbelieving.

"Of course," I smile. I wonder how often she's been invited to someone's house. Not too often if her brilliant smile is anything to go by.

"Oh, but I wouldn't want to impose-" she begins.

"-No, its fine," I assure her, "My mom loves guests. And I know she'll love you."

She nods and follows me to my car. I wonder how she was planning on getting home. It's cloudy and it looks like its going to start raining. I notice her rain coat and boots. She was going to walk. I shake my head.

"Hey Rach?" I ask

"Yes?"

"That song. Do you really feel like that?"

She hesitates, "No… Well, yes. Quite often actually, but don't worry," she says, "I'm totally used to it now and I'm determined to use these emotions for any future acting."

Her ability to make any bad situation sound kind of ok astounds me. "Rach, I want you to tell me the next time you feel this alone."

She looks confused, "Why?"

She really doesn't know. Huh. I guess I'm better at hiding my feelings than I thought. I stop her as we get to my car and hold her hand, "Because I care about you. I have for a while."

She blinks. Then smiles. She is a chatterbox the rest of the way to my house. I'm glad that she's back to herself.

My mother loves her. I think she wants to adopt Rachel. My little sister loves spending time with Rachel and constantly demands that she come visit. My dad is the same. Somehow, she ends up living at my house in the guest bedroom. Something about my mother not wanting Rachel to be home alone. Her dads are constantly away and Rachel stays at my house for weeks at a time.

Quinn seems to have picked Rachel's side and the two are now extremely close. Finn almost beat me up when he found out that Rachel and I were kind of together now. Every time I remember, I smile like an idiot. I called Matt and told him the whole story. He approved and came to visit. It turns out he was already friends with Rachel. When he moved away, she helped his little sister deal with the imminent farewell of her school friends.

Rachel smiles more now. She is the absolute best girlfriend you can imagine. She tells me often how much she loves me, which is great, because I never have to wonder. She goes to all my games and helps me when I need it. I return all that she does for me and the Glee kids start calling us Cherry. She's no longer alone.

Authors note: Review? Thanks :)


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